Casual fan likes Arnel
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:19 amThere is a guy that comes into my store frequently talking Journey (ever since he caught me, several years back, reading a fansite messageboard splattered with Steve Perry pix all over the page, lol). He knows and likes their music (the classic songs with SP), heard about their lead singer changes, but not any of the behind-the-scenes stuff that we internet Journey geeks are privy to.
Like any casual fan, he has caught the Arnel Story media blitz that had been going around and was curious to see Arnel with Journey. So, he went to the 7/11 concert show at the Lake ($125) and came back raving about how good Arnel sounded live. Here is the jest of his review:
--quite a few celebrities and sports athletes were spotted walking to their seats. (The Reno-Tahoe Open, a well-known celebrity golf tournament, was held there that very same weekend)
--Cheap Tricks and Heart were entertaining, but the focus and excitement were all on Journey when they came out. And Arnel did not disappoint.
--all eyes were on Arnel as he played to the crowd, running around the stage, swinging the mic stand, pointing at people, jumping off the drum riser — the guy was in constant motion and the crowd loved it.
--everyone around him stood up for the hits and sat down for the new songs.
--comments made were how Arnel sounded so much like SP.
--at one point, intro to a song, Arnel announced to the crowd that there is a new Journey record, Revelation. (He said he will not buy it, until I told him it's packaged as a 3-disc set at Walmart for $11.88 — 11 brand new songs; 11 re-recorded hits; and dvd of an early concert)
--his eyes lit up about the re-recorded hits and says he's going to run over to Walmart right now.
I think it is safe to conclude, based on the above and other favorable reviews from fans and critics alike, that Journey has won over everyone (that counts). All I can say is, the moons and stars are all aligned for the J-Boys, and they are one heck of lucky mother-f'kers. I mean, after the shenanigans of the last 2 years, what are the odds of finding themselves at this pinnacle? Using ... er ... hiring Arnel, getting the Walmart deal, solid record, media promotion ... even their detractors have to be impressed.
All kudos go to Arnel. Let's face it, in this American society we live in, there is always a built-in bias/prejudice against someone of another ethnic background/skin color — subtle or otherwise. JSS endured the occasional chicano jab; SA, the Brooklyn-Italian, meatballs & pasta references; SP and his portuguese and big nose heritage.
Arnel, being a foreigner, was under tremendous scrutiny and pressure to deliver the goods — and he has passed with flying colors. If he wasn't so good, he would have been ripped unmercifully. Let's hope his voice holds out.
Like any casual fan, he has caught the Arnel Story media blitz that had been going around and was curious to see Arnel with Journey. So, he went to the 7/11 concert show at the Lake ($125) and came back raving about how good Arnel sounded live. Here is the jest of his review:
--quite a few celebrities and sports athletes were spotted walking to their seats. (The Reno-Tahoe Open, a well-known celebrity golf tournament, was held there that very same weekend)
--Cheap Tricks and Heart were entertaining, but the focus and excitement were all on Journey when they came out. And Arnel did not disappoint.
--all eyes were on Arnel as he played to the crowd, running around the stage, swinging the mic stand, pointing at people, jumping off the drum riser — the guy was in constant motion and the crowd loved it.
--everyone around him stood up for the hits and sat down for the new songs.
--comments made were how Arnel sounded so much like SP.
--at one point, intro to a song, Arnel announced to the crowd that there is a new Journey record, Revelation. (He said he will not buy it, until I told him it's packaged as a 3-disc set at Walmart for $11.88 — 11 brand new songs; 11 re-recorded hits; and dvd of an early concert)
--his eyes lit up about the re-recorded hits and says he's going to run over to Walmart right now.
I think it is safe to conclude, based on the above and other favorable reviews from fans and critics alike, that Journey has won over everyone (that counts). All I can say is, the moons and stars are all aligned for the J-Boys, and they are one heck of lucky mother-f'kers. I mean, after the shenanigans of the last 2 years, what are the odds of finding themselves at this pinnacle? Using ... er ... hiring Arnel, getting the Walmart deal, solid record, media promotion ... even their detractors have to be impressed.
All kudos go to Arnel. Let's face it, in this American society we live in, there is always a built-in bias/prejudice against someone of another ethnic background/skin color — subtle or otherwise. JSS endured the occasional chicano jab; SA, the Brooklyn-Italian, meatballs & pasta references; SP and his portuguese and big nose heritage.
Arnel, being a foreigner, was under tremendous scrutiny and pressure to deliver the goods — and he has passed with flying colors. If he wasn't so good, he would have been ripped unmercifully. Let's hope his voice holds out.
Slipping that in there and passing it of as potentially new was sneaky. It makes it look like "well, hell we only got 10, but there's 11 on disc two, so we have to balance that out... ok throw any old thing on there then, most won't know the difference."